Panthers Drop Season Opener in Five Sets at Syracuse - Pitt Panthers #H2P - PittsburghPanthers.com

bolaboladulu.blogspot.com

Story Links

• Box Score
• Box Score

Next Match:

at Syracuse

9/26/2020 | 6 PM ET

ACCNX

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior right side Chinaza Ndee contributed a match-high 21 kills as the University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (0-1, 0-1 ACC) fell in a five-set thriller to open its 2020 fall season at Syracuse (1-0, 1-0 ACC) Friday night at the Women's Building.
 
After the Panthers took the opening set (25-21), the Orange claimed the next two frames (25-17, 26-24). Pitt forced a fifth set following a 27-25 win in the fourth but was unable to seal the deal, falling 15-9 in the fifth.
 
It was Syracuse's first win against the Panthers since Nov. 22, 2015, at Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh (3-1), snapping a five-match streak.
 
Ndee hit .392 for the night with 21 kills on 51 swings with one error. She also put up three blocks. Co-captain Kayla Lund followed Ndee with 16 kills in a double-double effort, contributing a team-high 16 digs. Outside hitter Zoi Faki and middle blocker Sabrina Starks had 10 kills apiece.
 
Sophomore setter Lexis Akeo had a team-best 32 assists. In her first match since the 2018 season after recovering from an ACL injury, redshirt senior setter Kylee Levers had 20 assists.
 
In her first start as a Panther, sophomore middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo had a team-best four blocks while contributing four kills.
 
Syracuse had a better hitting percentage (.269 to .250), while Pitt had the upper hand in kills (69-66), and assists (68-62). The Orange had more service aces (6-3) and blocks (13.0-8.0).
 
Set One: Pitt 25, Syracuse 21
 
Pitt opened its first set of the 2020 fall season on a 6-3 run. The Panthers held a 17-12 lead, but the Orange cut it to 18-17 following a 5-1 surge. Pitt earned set point, 24-19, after a Jordan Lockwood kill, and then ultimately secured the win, 25-21.
 
The Panthers held the advantage in hitting percentage, at .375 to .242.
 
Set Two: Syracuse 25, Pitt 17
 
Syracuse jumped out to a 4-1 lead and kept momentum for the remainder of the set. The Orange led 18-10 and secured the second frame with a 25-17 win to tie the match at one set apiece.
 
Syracuse held Pitt to .184 hitting while posting a .361 percentage.
 
Set Three: Syracuse 26, Pitt 24
 
Following four early ties, a 7-0 run gave Syracuse an 11-4 lead. The Orange held the momentum and secured a 19-11 margin, but Pitt answered with a 13-5 surge to tie the set at 24, fighting off six set points for Syracuse. The Orange finished the frame in extra points with a 26-24 win, going up 2-1 in the match.
 
Set Four: Pitt 27, Syracuse 25
 
The Panthers were the first to reach 20 points, up 20-17, but then the Orange used a 3-0 run to tie it. The set knotted up again at 22, then Syracuse took a 23-22 lead. Pitt responded to earn set point in extras, 25-24, and held on to force a fifth set with a 27-25 win.
 
Ndee had seven of her 21 kills in the frame, hitting .538.
 
Set Five: Syracuse 15, Pitt 9
 
The fifth set saw six ties and four lead changes. A Lund kill brought the Panthers within two points, down 10-8, but the Orange was able to outscore the Panthers 5-1 to end the match with a 15-9 win.
 
UP NEXT
Pitt and Syracuse will meet again Saturday night for their second and final match of the weekend, set for 6 p.m. ET at the Women's Building on ACC Network Extra.
 
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Print Friendly Version

Let's block ads! (Why?)

"five" - Google News
September 26, 2020 at 08:35AM
https://ift.tt/3093S7V

Panthers Drop Season Opener in Five Sets at Syracuse - Pitt Panthers #H2P - PittsburghPanthers.com
"five" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YnPDf8
https://ift.tt/2SxXq6o